England’s free school meals scheme should be expanded to help more children living in poverty

The cost of living crisis is deepening as inflation in the UK has hit double digits and prices have risen at their fastest rate for 40 years. This poses a considerable health risk to children. The Food Foundation’s food insecurity tracker shows that levels of food insecurity among households with children are climbing much faster than in the general population, rising by 50% since April 2022 and now affecting one in four households and four million children.1Children living in households experiencing food insecurity and fuel poverty face serious health risks. They have higher rates of asthma,2 as well as other severe respiratory problems.3 Children who can’t access a healthy diet have an increased risk of obesity, headaches, stomach aches, and backaches, as well as difficulty sleeping.3456 Children growing up with hunger are also twice as likely to be anxious compared with their peers who get enough to eat.7An estimated 800…
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